Illuminated display apparatus



U. SPERUNUY ILLUMINATED DISPLAY APPARATUS.

APPLIC ON FILED IULV14,1919.

Patented May 25, 1920,

11 S'rHzEiY SHEET 1.

81 uemto'a 0563/ Spar/47y O. SPERLING ILLUMINATED DISPLAY APPARATUS.

AFPHCA ON HLED JULY 14.1919

Patented May 25, 1920.

3 SMEIS SHEET 2.

O1 SPERL'ING.

ILLUMINATED DISPLAY APPAHMUS.

APPLICAT ON FILED JULY l:- 1313.

Si -L UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR SPERLING, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ILLUMINATED DISPLAY APPARATUS.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR SrnRmNm-a citizen of Sweden, and a resident ofthe borough of Manhattan, in the county, city, and State of New York,have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in IlluminatedDisplay Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to appa 'atus for exhibiting or displaying signs,and more particularly to that class of devices wherein lamps areutilized in connection with movable shades, screens, or mantles, to castrays of light, either white or colored, upon advertisingmatter or otherthings exposed to view.

One object of the invention is to produce an improved apparatus of theclass referred to, having plural sources of light available bothindividually and conjointly to illuminate a sign or similar article bymeans of periodically recurring series of luminiferous waves orundulations of varied hues and differential intensities.

Another object is the production, in an apparatus of the characterdescribed, of a natural draft and means for positively controlling it,whereby the heat currents that radiate from thesources of light areadapted to rotate their surrounding mantles at varying velocities, andconsequently to enlarge or diminish at option the photosphere of eithersource.

A furtherobject is to provide an apparatus of the nature set forthcapable of projecting images of the rotating mantles, embellished by thechanging color effects originating therefrom. in addition to furnishingthe light wherewith the sign is illuminated.

Still another object is the provision of an ap iaratus of the typementioned, equipped with one or more reflectors designed to project theimages aforesaid in adjustable relation to one another, and furtheradmitting of being turned, so as to divert the light in any desireddirection to illumine other things than the sign toward which its raysare ordinarily directed.

A. still further object is to supply an apparatus of the kind specified,with an assortment of separate signs or changeable characters therefor,which can be readily grouped in accordance with any predeterminedarrangement. independently of the light transmitting media and theposition Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1920.

Application filed July 14, 1919. Serial No. 310,752.

thereof relatively to the surface upon which the signs or characters aredisplayed.

An additional object is to devise an apparatus of the species alludedto, affording a structure composed of but few parts, of simpleconstruction and operation, as well as easily assembled, or taken apartfor in spection or repairs, and meanwhile susceptible of low costofimanufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists of the novelcombinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in theirpreferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, andillustrated on the annexed drawings, wherein'like parts are designatedby the same reference characters throughout the several views.

A practical embodiment of the invention,

a casing divided into a plurality of COlTl partments normally'partitioned off from one another. Each compartment contains a source oflight,-conveniently, an electric bulb lamp of the incandescent genus.The lamp in each instance is surrounded by a mantle composed ofvaricolored segments of transparent material, and the several mantlesare adapted to be revolved upon centrally-disposed axes by the heatradiating from their respective lamps. For this purpose, the upper endof each mantle is formed into a turbine-like impeller. with a series ofvanes through which the currents of heat are made to pass. A draft isestablished through the mantle, and a valve is provided to control thesame so as either to accelerate or to retard the flow of the heatcurrentsaccording as to whether a fast or aslow impulse should beimparted to the vanes. Such a valve may be used in connection with anyor all of the lamps and mantles, that is Wherever deemed expedient. Therays of light passing through the vanes of the impellers are utilized byreflecting them above the apparatus, and thus producing attractiveluminous effects in ad dition to what is projected upon the signs or theconstituent parts thereof. The reflective surfaces are located in hoodsthat provide adequate ventilation for the interior of the entireaj'iparatus. and besides admit hitherto satisfactorily operated,comprises of individual rotation, in such a manner that they can beadjusted in various positions relatively to one another to insure adesirable blending of the rays of light reflected, and furthermore,either one of them may be turned so as to direct a shaft of light,either permanently or temporarily, upon some particular object situatedbeyond the apparatus, or any part of the apartment where the latter isinstalled. The signs to be illuminated, in the embodiment of theapparatus under consideration, consist of movable characters detachablyheld upon a translucent pane of glass, common to the plural compartmentsabove mentioned, by means of resilient holders provided for the severalcharacters individuallv. The advantages of the invention as hereoutlined are best realized when all of its features andinstrnmentalities are combined in the one and same'structure, but,useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole. I

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains, upon becoming conversant with the details thereof, that thesame may be incorporated in several difi'erent constructions. Theaccompanying drawings, therefore, are submitted merely as showing thepreferred exemplification of the invention.

In the said drawings,

Figure I is a top plan view of an apparatus exemplifying the embodimentof the invention above outlined, certain parts being broken or omitted,and others appearing in section;

Fig. II is a front elevation, partly broken and partly in section, ofthe same form of the apparatus;

Fig. III is a vertical section, taken centrally through one of the saidcompartments, including a mantle positioned therein and a hood withreflector above, but omitting the lamp pertaining to the mantle;

Fig. IV is a top plan view of the impeller part of the mantle, detached;

Fig. V is a horizontal section across the mantle, showing the approvedmethod of joining the segments thereof together; and

Fig. VI is a detail plan view, showing a plate valve and lever therefor,adapted to control the draft through the mantle, in the manner and forthe purpose hereinbefore mentioned.

The improved apparatus, in the form herein exemplified, comprises acasing made with a level floor 1, resting upon supports, 2; a flat top 3thereabove; and side walls 4: and 5, curved at the rear of thestructure, and thence extending obliquely forward in oppositedirections. It is understood that these details of construction may varywithin wide limits, but preferably and as shown, thecasing is dividedinto a plurality of compartments that are rounded rearward and flareforwardly at the sides, in order that the rays of light impinging uponthe inner faces of the casin shall be all refiected toward the front. T1e casing may be made of sheet-metal, suitably painted to precludereflection. The compartments are conveniently separated one from anotherby a partition, as (3, rising from the floor l to the top 3, andextending thereacross from the front to the rear, where it intersectsincurving portions 7 of the back walls of the adjoinincompartments, allas indicated in Figs. I, II, and III.

In front of the said casing is placed a relatively large frame 10,surrounding a pane 11, of ground glass or other translucent material, towhich the signs, characters, pictorial representations, or otherarticles to be exhibited are attached or afiixed, in the mannerhereinafter described. The frame 10, it will be observed, is common tothe two compartments of the casing shown, extending both laterally andin a vertical direction beyond the structural parts previouslymentioned. It may be hinged to the casing for instance to the topthereof, as illustrated at 12 in Fig. III.

IVithin each compartment aforesaid, in proximity to and preferablyconcentric with the curved rear portion thereof, is placed a lightingelement or source of light, which in the present instance is shown asconsisting of an incandescent electric lamp, including a bulb 14, with abase 15, entered into a socket 16, on the floor 1 of the casin Thesocket-piece may be secured in position by a screw 17, passing upwardlythrough the floor, from the underside thereof. See Figs. II and III.

Over each lamp is placed a mantle composed of segmental strips 20, ofcelluloid, mica, gelatin, or other transparent material, preferably ofdifferent colors, and held together in cylindrical form, through theinstrl'lmentality of stays 21. As detailed in Fig. V, these stays may beS-shaped and arranged to grasp between their convolutions the lappingedges of adjacent sections of the mantle. The opposite extremities ofthe stays are respectively engaged by a ring 22, and a circular flange23, projecting downwardly from the mantle top 24.

At the bottom of each mantle is located a fine 27, consisting of acollar or sleeve-like member rising from a basal flange 28, secured tothe floor'bf the casing, for instance. by screws 29. This member formsan inclosure about the lamp socket and extends upwardly for somedistance into the lower end of the mantle. It is spaced from both thesocket and the mantle, as shown. Fur ther reference to the same willhereinafter be made.

The above-described mantle is pivotally mounted upon the upper end of avertically disposed arm 31, extending by the side of and abovethe lamp1%. The arm 31 is economitally made of a single section of wire bentoutwardly at the lower end, and curved inwardly at the upper end asrepresented in Figs. I and II. The lower end of the wire can best-ayed,that is, rigidly anchored, by placing it within acrease or keeper struckup from the under side of the [hinge 2b of the flue 27, before referredto, and clamping the flange thereover when it is fastened to the casingfloor. The upper end of the arm carries a needle 32, which constitutesthe pivot upon which the mantle is intended to rotate. In order toproduce a proper fulcrum, the mantle top 24 is fori'ned with a pocket33, designed to receive a small bearing 34, of agate or other hardsubstance, which is held therein by a retaining plate, as 35, underlyingthe same and having prongs 36, passed through suitable perforations inthe'mantle top, and clenched upon the latter. A hole is also madethrough the plate 34, and a suitable cavity likewise provided in theagate to receive the point of the needle 32.

An impeller is formed from the mantle top 2& aforementioned, by slittingit radially and peripherally, as indicated at 39 and 40, in Fig. 4i, andbending the material. of which the top is composed so as to produce aseries of vanes 41, which are positioned for impingement by the heatcurrents radiating from the lamp located thereunder inside the mantle.It is understood how the ascending currents passing upward between thevanes of the impeller cause it to revolve and set the mantle in motion.The same form of impelleris employed for each mantle, but it is deemedpreferable to cut or set the vanes of the different impellers in reversedirections relatively to one another, so that adjoining mantles may berotated oppositely to each other, as suggested by the arrows in Fig. II.

Apertures 44 are provided in the bottom 1 of the casing, to admit acertain quantity of the external air into each mantle, to pro mote theascent of the heat currents from the lamp surrounded thereby. Theexternal air, it will be noted, enters the mantle through the fine 27.The latter, being spaced from both the lamp socket and the lower end ofthe mantle, not only provides for the entrance of the air below theradiating heat currents, but also affords a clearance for the lower endof the mantle. The apertures 44 need not be in equal number for eachflue, and therefore. a single series of such apertures has been shownbelow one mantle in the drawings, while a double series thereof appearsbeneath another mantle. The draft through the mantles can thus be variedaccording to some predetermined arrangement. Moreover, a valve 45 isprovided, which may be used to control the supply of air through theapertures of any series, the same consisting of a plate withcorresponding perforations 46, rotatably attaehed to the floor l by thebefore mentioned screw 17. A lever 47, fastened to the valve plateenables it to be set so as to shut off any series of apertures eitherpartly or entirely to suit any exigency. This lever is fulcrumed also onthe screw 17 and is secured to one side of the plate by a screw 48, asindicated in Figs. III and VI.

In the vanes of the impellers are made openings of substantiallytriangular shape, which may be covered with transparent material,designated by the reference numeral 51, in Fig. IV. This-material maybe'the same as that forming the mantle sections, and either similarly ordifferently colored, as preferred. The mantles capped by theselight-transmitting vanes are mounted-so as to rotate directly oppositeor underneath apertures 52, made in the top 3 of the easing, andreflectors, as 53 and 54, are placed thereover in position to displayimages of the multicolored vanes as they rotate over their respectivelamps. By preference, these reflectors'are inclined at such angles aswill serve to exhibit the images above the signs that are illuminated bythe mantles directly.

The reflectors aforesaid are mounted in hoods 57 and 58, revolublyconnected with the top of the casing by means of sleeves 59 extending upfrom the openings 52 into collars 60 pertaining to the bases of thesehoods. By turning either or both of the hoods, it will be understoodthat the reflectors therein can be adjusted relatively to one another,to produce different effects with the reflected images. Either hood.with its reflector, can also be turned away from the sign front of theapparatus, and a shaft of light directed therefrom toward any particularobject, for example, a safe located in the store wherein the apparatusis left overnight. In the latter case, it is deemed best to use impellervanes covered with White transparent material.

As before stated, the signs shown in the annexed drawings, are composed.of separate characters, as indicated by the reference numeral 61, inFigs. II and Ill. These may be opaque and grouped in a single line or inplural rows or in any preferred order, according to the discretion andjudgment of the person using the apparatus. In any event, the severalcharacters are placed on the rear face of the pane of ground glass 11,mounted in the frame 10. Thus located, the selected characters willstand in relief upon the pane 11 illuminated by the rays of lightemitted by the lamps and-transmitted in colored waves by the rotatingmantles.

A convenient means for maintaining the characters of the sign in therequired position as aforesaid, is afforded by a resilient holder 63,consisting of a thin curved wire disposed rearwardly of each character,as seen in Figs. II and III. The upper end of the wire has a backwardbend 64, made to enter and resiliently engage a pocket 65, in the uppermember of the frame 10, while a similar bend 66, at the lower end of thewire is arranged to press forwardly upon the rear face of the character,and caused to hold it frictionally upon the pane 11.

\Vhile a certain preferred embodiment of this device has been shown anddescribed, it will be understood that changes in the form, arrangements,proportions, sizes and details thereof may be made, without departingfrom,the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I desireto secure by Letters Patentand claim, 1s

1. An apparatus of the'class described, comprising in combination acasing, plural sources of light therein, a display field illuminatedfrom said light sources, varicolored transparent members rotatablearound the latter, and an opaque partition dividing said casing so thatsaid members are separated in such a manner that the rays of lightpassing through them are prevented from interblending while continuouscolored waves are thrown dividedly upon said display field.

2. An apparatus of the class described, comprising in combination aninclosure with a plurality of separated compartments in contiguousrelation to one another, a display field common to said compartments, anelectric lamp operatively positioned in each of said compartments behindsaid field, and a mantle revoluble about each lamp, said mantleincluding multicolored transparent sections, the arrangement being suchthat the several mantles are isolated within their respectivecompartments, thereby precluding the mingling of the coloredluminiferous undulations from the plurality of lamps and directing theminstead against the common. display field along well defined lines ofdemarcation.

3.'An apparatus of the class described, comprising in combination adivided casing, a'plurality of lamps in the divisions thereof, a displayfield placed at one side of said casing in position to be illuminatedconjointly from said lamps, varicolored transparent mantles rotatedaround the latter by the heat emanating therefrom, and independent meansin said divisions controlling difl'erentfquantities of air passingthrough the interior of the several mantles to vary their respectivespeeds of rotation.

4. An apparatus of the 'class described, comprising in combination acasing, a display field positioned at one side thereof, lamps located insaid casing behind said field, varicolored transparent mantles adaptedto be revolved about said lamps through the agency of heat currentsemitted thereby, and separate means pertaining to said mantlesrespectively arranged for impingement by said heat currents in oppositedirections, said means including sets of vanes reversely inclined inrelation to each other.

5. An apparatus of the class described, comprising in combination acasing divided by an opaque partition into separate compartments, adisplay field placed by one side of the latter, lamps in saidcompartments arranged to, illuminate said field, varicolored'transparent members adapted for rotation around said lamps, said membersincluding impeller vanes acted upon by the heat ascending from thelamps, the vanes of the several-impellers being set oppositely to impartrotation to the members in reverse directions on the opposite sides ofthe partition, and inlets conducting variable quantities of air into themembers so as to cause them to revolve at different vclocities.

6. An apparatus of the class described, comprising in combination acasing. a display field at one side thereof, a lamp in said casing forilluminating said field, a varicolored transparent member rotatablearound said lamp, a set of similarly transparent vanes fixedtransversely to the upper end of said member actuated by the heat fromthe lamp, and a reflector capable of throwing the light passing throughsaid vanes in a direction other than the display field.

7. An apparatus of the class described, comprising in combination acasing, a lamp therein capable of emitting light both end- Wise andsidewisefa rotatable varicolored transparent member over said lamppositioned to transmit the light laterally, a set of vanes disposed in aplane at substantially right angles to that of the member, said vaneshaving apertures covered with transparent material permitting the lightto pass therethrough in an upright direction, a display field by oneside of said casing arranged to receive colored light cast thereon fromsaid member, and a reflector serving to project light transmitted bysaid vanes.

8. An apparatus of the class described, comprising in combination acasing. a lamp therein, a varicolored transparent member rotatable oversaid lamp so as to transmit the light therefrom both laterally and in anaxial direction, a display field by one side of said casing illuminatedby colored rays cast laterally from said member, a reflector inclinedrelatively to one end of the latter in position to throw light projectedaxially of the member, a tubular comprising in combination a casing, alamp therein, a varicolored transparent member revoluble over said lamp,a display field at the front of said casing positioned for illuminationby colored rays thrown from the side of said member, a reflectordisposed concentrically at an angle to one end of the latter, and meansfor adjusting said refiector so as to project axial light cast there onby said end of the member in a desired direction.

10. An apparatus of the class described, comprising in combination acasing, a display field at one side thereof, lamps in said casing behindsaid field, varicolored transparent mantles rotatable over said lamps,and reflectors angularly disposed with rela tion to the ends of saidmantles and having their centers substantially coaxial therewith, thefield being illuminated by colored rays from the mantles emittedlaterally thereof, and-said reflectors being capable of adjustmentrelatively to one another so as to project the end rays from the mantlesin difi'erent positions.

11. An apparatus of the class described, comprising in combination acasing, lamps therein, varicolored tr nsparent mantles, rotatable overthe lattei, t display field placed by one side of said casing inposition to be illuminated by colored rays emitted laterally from saidmantles, reflectors on the casing arranged to project images of themantle ends above the plane of said field, and duets above the ends ofthe rotary mantles leading the light therefrom to said reflectors whileholding them in their respective places over the casing.

12. An apparatus of the class described, comprising in combination acasing, a display field at one side thereof,a lamp in said casing behindsaid field, a varicolored transparent mantle positioned for rotationover said lamp by heat currents radiating therefrom, and an airconveying'element carried by the bottom of the casing so as to entersaid mantle to lead the air thereinto in proximity to thetlamp, wherebythe air is heated so as to increase the rotative power of the mantle..

13. An apparatus ofthe class described,

comprising in combination a casing, a display field located by one sideof" the latter, a'lamp in said casing behind said field, a varicoloredtransparent mantle rotatable over said lamp through the action of heatemitted thereby, the lower end of said mantle being separated by anintervening space from the bottom of the casing, a flue serving toconvey air across said space into the interior of said mantle toincrease the rotation thereof, and means for regulating the How of airthrough said flue. I

14. An apparatus of the class described, comprising in combination acasing, a display field at one side thereof, a lamp in said casingbehind said field, a varicolored transparent mantle rotatable over saidjilamp, said mantle including transparent impeller vanes at theupper endthereof, and a reflector capable of projecting light passing throughsaid transparent vanes upon obj ects other than the display field, and aflue extending from the bottom of the casing for conducting external airinto the mantlein proximity to the lamp'therein and thence up betweenthe vanes past said reflector.

15. An apparatus of the class described, comprising 'in combination acasing, a display field located by one side thereof, a lamp operativelypositioned within said casing for the illumination of said field, avaricolored transparent mantle rotatable over said lamp through themedium of the heat generated thereby, a sleeve extending upwardly froman opening in the top of the casing above said mantle, a ventilatinghood having a collar at the base thereof taking around said sleeve, anda reflector in said hood inclined to project light from the end of themantle.

scan srnnmive.

